The rest of the Broncos’ offensive linemen had filtered through and out of the locker room Monday afternoon, yet Dan Koppen remained behind, engaged in conversation with two Broncos assistant coaches.

For good reason.

Koppen, one of the newest Broncos, assumes the critical role of starting center this week, officially replacing J.D. Walton, who broke his ankle Sunday against Oakland. Walton was placed on the injured reserve list Monday.

It’s merely a coincidence that Koppen makes his first start as a Bronco against the New England Patriots, at Gillette Stadium, the place he called home for the previous nine years.

When Koppen gets into his stance, the hands he feels under his backside will belong to Peyton Manning, not Tom Brady.

Koppen started 134 total games for the Patriots from 2003-11, including in the playoffs, before suffering a broken bone in his lower left leg in the first game last season.

Koppen spent the rest of the season on injured reserve and re-signed with New England in the offseason. But he lost a competition to regain his job as starting center to Ryan Wendell and was released at the end of the preseason.

The Broncos were paying attention and signed him Sept. 11 to provide depth behind Walton, who had taken all but one snap since he was drafted by the Broncos in 2010.

“I’m fortunate to be here, and be around these guys, but it is unfortunate that it’s this way. You don’t want to see anybody get hurt,” Koppen said. I’ve just got to go out there and do my job, whatever the coaches ask of me, and do that.”

Spoken like a true former Patriot.

Koppen’s experience at New England has helped ease his transition to Denver and Manning. The offense called by Mike McCoy was originally concocted by Josh McDaniels, who was Denver’s former head coach and was and is New England’s offensive coordinator. Both Manning and Brady run plenty of no-huddle, where communication between the center and quarterback, and center and the rest of the offensive line, is critical.

“I’m pretty familiar with it. It’s along the same lines of what we ran in New England, which helps, just different verbiage and all that stuff,” Koppen said.

Koppen handled one snap in the first half against Oakland, and the Broncos immediately went into the no-huddle offense in the third quarter with Koppen. It appeared to be, at least against an Oakland team that lacked much of a pass rush, a seamless transition.

The Broncos’ offensive line did not allow a sack, and the running backs ran for 165 yards.

“We still have a lot of improving to do. Dan, with more reps in practice and a better understanding of our offense, he’s capable of playing better, but he did a good job kind of on the job training just getting thrown out there quickly,” Broncos coach John Fox said.

The center switch comes as the Broncos are preparing for the return of guard Chris Kuper, who broke a bone in his forearm in mid-August. Kuper was cleared to return to individual drills in practice last week, but was not yet deemed ready for full contact.

Manny Ramirez has started the first four games at right guard.

Ramirez also can play center, and the Broncos also still have C.J. Davis, a utility interior lineman, on the 53-man roster.

Dan Koppen joins Jeff Saturday among current centers who have snapped for two MVP quarterbacks, after he took over Sunday against the Raiders when J.D. Walton was injured. Saturday played with Peyton Manning at Indianapolis and is now a teammate of Aaron Rodgers at Green Bay.

MONTREAL — It’s a big deal to play or coach hockey in Montreal and Toronto, and for first-year Avalanche coach Jared Bednar, it’s bound to be extra special because it will be his first time in those historic Original Six markets. Indeed, the Canadian native from Yorkton, Saskatchewan, has never been to the Bell Centre or Air Canada Centre — where...

Shortly before the season began, Holmes, who had been dealing with a nagging hip since September, finally went in to get an X-ray to get the injury addressed. That X-ray revealed a mass on his hip, and following a biopsy, doctors diagnosed Holmes with Osteosarcoma.